Partners

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Partners

Thanks to the commitment of the Denver community, the Bridge Project has been able to serve over 10,000 students during its 25 years of service. A special thank you to the organizations below for having a direct impact on the success of each student that has participated in the program.

Our Programs

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Our Programs

The Bridge Project Program Model

The Bridge Project has built an evidence-based year-round program model serving students. This model includes: 1) Early Literacy Programs for Kindergarten through 3rd grade students, 2) STEM focused participatory learning for 4th through 9th grade students, 3) College and Career Readiness to prepare students for post-secondary success, and 4) Scholarship support both financially and emotionally for all students who graduate from high school or earn a GED.

Early Literacy

Early Literacy is comprised of ReadWell small group instruction, One-to-One Tutoring, and GR8 Readers. The Read Well classes are held three days a week for 45 minute sessions. Read Well is taught by the Educators at each Bridge Project site. One-to-one tutoring occurs for a minimum of 45 minutes per week with the same tutor for the academic year. Students choose a brand new book for GR8 Readers. After four weeks of reading the GR8 Readers books during tutoring, the kids get to take them home and build their own libraries. They then get to choose a new book.

STEM

STEM programming is available to participants in grades fourth through eighth and takes place in different units throughout the year. The overall goal of STEM is to provide high quality programming for students that they may not otherwise be exposed to at school. It encompasses the following elements to develop skills in computer science, engineering, math, and science: Code.org (computer science/web development); Robotics (engineering); Destination Imagination (science/math/ engineering); Engineering Everywhere (math/engineering); and Summer Engineering Projects (math/engineering).

Youth Voice

Youth Voice at Bridge is supported through the YELL program (Youth Engaged in Leadership and Learning), offered once a week to middle school students. Over the course of the year, participants lead an action research project by gathering information about pressing community issues and advocating for solutions. Through YELL, students learn key college and career readiness skills such as active listening, critical thinking, goal setting, planning, problem solving, data analysis, and public speaking.

Graduation Preparation

Students participate in weekly program offerings at each Bridge site to explore new opportunities for careers. Students also participate in trips to multiple college and trade school campuses across the Denver Metro area and beyond. Each student completes steps to success planning profile to identify the necessary academic and experiential pathway towards post-secondary options and/or the workforce. Participants also have the opportunity to be hired as a Tech Team member.

Scholarship Program

High school students who complete Bridge Project programming requirements are eligible for a scholarship that provides them with financial support and guidance, as they complete a post-secondary path.

Recent Accomplishments

For the first time, the Bridge Project evaluation team has recruited a comparison group of students who live in other public housing neighborhoods in which afterschool programming is not available. Thus, we are now able to compare academic outcomes between Bridge Project students and similar youth who do not participate in afterschool programs. Findings from our analyses of the 2014-15 school year indicate that Bridge students had significantly higher rates of school attendance, significantly fewer school discipline referrals, and significantly higher end-of year achievement ratings in science and math than youth in the comparison group. Bridge participants also had significantly greater gains in literacy skills during the school year, as measured by the Developmental Reading Assessment, than youth in the comparison group. Importantly, Bridge students of Black/African-American descent had significantly higher reading scores when compared to Black/African-American youth in the comparison group.

Outcomes

Population: We serve students from kindergarten through sophomore year of college, who predominantly reside in public housing, with an average household income of $8,490 per a family of four.

Our Program Model: The Bridge Project uses data from a comparison group of students who reside in public housing but do not participate in Bridge programs. When compared with non-Bridge students, the data shows our students have significantly higher rates of attendance, fewer discipline referrals in school, and higher end-of-year achievement ratings in science and math.

Literacy: During the previous school year, 99% of Bridge participant’s from kindergarten through 3rd grade increased their reading scores by a minimum of one Developmental Reading Assessment level.

Literacy: In the fall of 2014, 72% of students were reading below grade level while 25% and 3% were at grade level and above grade level respectively. By the spring of 2015, just 33% of students were reading below grade level while 44% and 23% had increased to reading at or above grade level.

Graduation: In 2014-2015: 91% of Bridge Project seniors graduated from high school, compared to the district average of 63%.

Program Impact: Participation in tutoring, homework help, STEM and enrichment were all significantly related to increases in social, emotional, and behavioral skills among school aged students.

The Bridge Project is an evidence based, comprehensive program model that is the only of its kind operating in the communities it currently serves.

Volunteers

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Volunteers

Volunteering at the Bridge Project means helping students succeed in the classroom. Last year more than 300 volunteers provided 1 on 1 tutoring to students, including homework help and reading skills. We are always grateful for your help!